Removing and cleaning ballast



y 1933. o. NEDDERMEYER REMOVING AND CLEANING BALLAST 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1932 [r7 rentor 0Z1 0 [Veda er me er Attyy 8, 1933. o; NEDDERMEYER 1,918,343

REMOVING AND CLEANING BALLAST Filed March 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 177/6 [0 r: 0170 M12256? meyer y 1933- o. NEDDERMEYER 1,913,348

REMOVING AND CLEANING BALLAST Fi led March 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 In Vania r ULLO Veatde rmeyn July 18, 1933. o. NEDDERMEYER' REMOVING AND CLEANING BALLAST Filed March 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4- Q. m Q.

mm on July 18, 1933. o. NEDDERMEYER 1,918,348

REMOVING AND CLEANING BALLAST Filed March 14, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.8. 25 x%%n 2s Z6 32 Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES;-

. orroinnmonnmjmma, F WABERN, GERMANY- REMOVING- AND CLEANINJGYBALLAST np nauonmea March 14, 1932, Serial 110,598,788; and :in' Germany September 22; 1930};

invention relates to means for remov: ing ballast from railway lines after the track has been lifted. ,The ballast aftervhaving been removed .is cleaned by separating -it from the dirty waste, and returned to the groundwork. l

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved plant forremoving and cleaning the ballast. To thisend I-provide Q a machine for removing the ballast after a portiongof, the track has been lifted, and mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track,- portion for, pulling the mach ne through the ballastto be removed.

1 Thediscarding of the dirty waste which is separated 'when the ballast is cleaned, involves considerable difficulties if the dirty waste is charged into railway trucks by man.- ual-shoveling. In order to eliminate manual F9; labour it has already'been suggested to discard; the dirty waste immediately after it has .left the ballast-removing and cleaning machine, for instance, by'discharging it into railway trucks. It hasalso been suggested- 223111 conformity with this idea to provlde a method which corresponds to progressive manufacture, but the plant required 1s rather complicated in operation and construction,

so that great difliculties are to be expected in' reducing such suggestions to practice.

. According to my invention means are providedfor pulling a ba1last-removing and cleaning machine along orthrough the ballast fromuwhich a portion oftlietrack has been lifted, by means of a mechanism such as a capstan which may run on auxiliaryrails sideways of the still unlifted track portion or on chaintracks or the, like. The mechanism islanch'ored to the still unlifted track 1 portion; At. the end of a section, ,the still unlifted portion is lifted by suitablelifting tackle runningon thea'uxiliary side rails or track-layingmachines running onzthestill unlifted. track portion itself, and moved out of the way, so that a portabletractor or capstanfcarfor the subsequent operation of, the baHast remQVing machine may immediately be anchored again qthestill unliftedv track portion which remains at the end of the fresh section; The dirty WELStGyWhiCh is dis charged at one side of the, line by the ballast-removing and cleaning machine, charged into tip wagons whichrun on a port-l" able or field railway track on the berm at the corresponding side of the line, and :a-re 'ss} conducted to a portable stage or incline from which their contents are tipped into the trucks of a material train on the still unliftedportion" of the main track. The stage or the incline is equipped with a, preferably power-driven, capstan by which 1 the loadedtipping or field railwaylcars are drawn onto the stage along theincline. 'The portable or field-railway track is equipped with a turnout for .crossingof the full'with the empty wagons so that theoperationis continuous. f i i The ballast-removing and cleaning may chine is mounted to roll or to slide on the; auxiliary'rails which are laid at the sides of the main'track opposite the butt ends ofits sleepers-z Intermediate the machine andthe portable tractorwhich maybe a capstan car or the like, I provide'pulley blocks-or they like, by which a considerable saving of power is obtain'ed when pulling the machine through the ballast. By causing the machine to rollorito slide on the auxiliary track at the sides of the still unlifted' portion 1 ofthe' main track it is'possible to .preliminarilydetermine the proper vertical? position of the machine by arranging-the auxiliary railsat a corresponding level. The depth to which n the machine pulls up theballast may be -regu-; lated during its operation by suitablyadjusting the vertical position of thewheel'sfor: slides wi'th'which themachine rolls or slides on the auxiliaryside rails.- 1 l The-portable" tractor may be a locomotive? running on the still unlifted1,portion- 0f :the 1} main track. In this case, hOWBVBIQilZWOllldk be necessary at the end of an operating sec-. tion. and during the advancing of .the trac tor which pulls apartthe pulley blocks, 7 toremove the rails and' sleepers for thenew 1' section belowthe cables'of the pulley blocks: which. would require troublesome manual? operations." This is avoided by runningthes tractor orthelike on the auxiliary side rails, in cooperation with, rail-lifting tackle also tion' and forming part thereof, a ballast-removing and cleaning machine and a complete plantembodying my invention are illustrated diagrammatically by way of example. Inthe drawings r Fig. 1' is plan view-of the ballast-removing and cleaningmachine,

' Fig; 2 is a section on the line IIII in Fig.

1,a nd Y V 1 F'g. 3 is a front-end elevation of the machine. I r

Fig. 4 is anel'evation, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing diagram-'- rrratically the position of the ballast-removing and cleaning machine and the tractor at agiven. stage. of theirioperation,

- Fig. 6 is aneleva-tion, and

' Fig. 7 is a plan view of the complete plant,

Fi-g- Sis an elevation, and

Fig'..9"istan end elevation of-the' tipping stage and incline which are shown more diagrammatically at the left in Figs. 6 and 7, and

betweenthe tractor and the machine.

' Referring now to. the drawings, and first t'oiFigs. -1 to 3, 1 are the solebars forming part of the frame of the ballast-removing cleaning machine. The sole bars are braced by any suitable'means which'will not be described asthey may be ofthe usual type, and support, an underframe 2 on which tools for stripping theballast from the ground work are provided. The tools, as best seen in Fig. 1, have pointed frontends 1 and are connected to an incline 47 at the rear. 4 is a cable :or the like by means of which the machine 1, 2" is pulled through the ballast. 5

and 35 is a cable on the sheave the ends of which are; secured to the sole-barsl 1 of the machine frame. Means are provided for dis-.

placing: the pointof attack of the cable 4 at the; machine moves on in the central line of theetrac'k' or is steered as required bythe curve. To this end the sheave 5 is adapted to be displaced transversely with respect to the centralline of the track 37 'is aslideblock on whichthe sheave 5 is mounted and 36l are-twocross bars at the front end of the machine frame onwhich the block 37 is mounted to slide. 38 is a cable or'the like by which the block 37 is displaced to the left 10' is aplan view ofthepulley blocks is a sheave to which the cable4 is connected,

the. machine, for instance, in-a curve, so thator to the right. Both ends of the cable 38 are connected to the block. 39 are sheaves at both sides of the machine by whichthe direction of the cable 38 is reversed. The

cable is attached to the drum 40 of a capstan 7 are elevators which'are arranged between two outer walls and a central wall 6- 0f the underframe 2 between which the tools 3 are arranged. The elevators 7 which may be replaced by belt conveyers (not shown) are supplied. with the detached and loose ballast material by means of the incline 47. 8 is a shaking sieve to which theballast is delivered by the elevators or conveyers. The cleaned ballast is returned to the ground work at the rear end of the machine. 9 is atransverse conveyer below'thescreen 8 by which the dirty waste is discharged onto the berm or charged intowagons 25 on a, field-railway track 26 on the berm, as will be described with reference'to Figs. 6 to 9. 50 is a motor or engine on the frame ofthe machineby which the transverse 'conveyer 9 is actuated through any'suitable gearing (not shown).

10 is a roller which is arranged behind'the; tools 3- and preferably atthe rear of the underframe 2. J ournals at opposite ends of the rollers aremounted to rotateinsuitable' vertical'rods 51 at oppositesides of'the ma chine. 52 are brackets in which the upper ends of the rods-51 are secured, and means such as. nuts 53 may be provided for raising and lowering the frame with respect to the roller 10'. The tools?) are lowered by the 'compressionexerted on the ground work by the roller 10. The load on the roller consists of the weight of the machine which it partly supports, plus the weight of the ballast which is elevated by the elevators 1 or conveyers 7.

The cooperation of the roller 10- and the tools 3 isregulated and the effect of the roller'increased by providing the adjusting means'5'3 The roller 10 also serves for smoothing downthe ground work. Instead of the roller 10' a stripper (not shown) may be provided for compressing the ground Work, in combination with springs for transmitting to the stripper its share of the machine weight.

T e frame of the machineisf provided at its leading or trailing end, or at both ends, with guided slides (not shown) which may project laterally from its frame, or with wheels or'rollers 12' which are vertically adjustable and on which the machine is moved along lateral auxiliary rails 13 (Figs. 3 and 9) which are arrangedopposite the butt ends oftli-e sleepersini the-"still unlifted portionof-the main track. The-object of these vertically adjustable rollers-'orgsli'des is to" adjust the machine to the proper level afterthe auX- iliary rails 13 have been'laid'. Furthermore,

it is possible to lift the machine clear of' any obstructions such as mile stones or altitude. md1cators on the central or side berm so that raise and lower-the frame of the machine.

Any suitable means, such as pins 44, may be provided for'fixing the holders 42 to the frame in the position for which theyhave been adjusted. 45 is a rack with which each holder 42 is provided,-or to which it is connected, and 46 is a winch engaging in the corresponding rack by means of a pinion, so that the corresponding holder 42 and its wheel 12, or slide, are raised and lowered with respect to the frame. The winches 46 have been shown only at the leading endof V the machine. Obviously a similar arrange ment may be provided at the trailing end.

If it is desired to remove the machine, its frameis raised by means of thewinches 46, run. forward on the auxiliary rails 13 and lowered onto small trucks on the main track 22 by reversing the winches 46. In the same manner the machine may also be transported to the relaying section, raised by the winches 46, run to the operating sta tion on the auxiliary rails 13, and lowered onto the ballast.

"The'tractive effort for pulling the machine 1, 2 throu h the ballast isgenerated in the example il ustrated bya'capstan which is arranged on a portable frame or car 20 igs. 4 to 7). 14 are whee'lson the car which run on the auxiliary rails 13. 15 is the drum of the capstan which through suitable gearing (not shown) is actuated by a motor 16; The motor. may be a steam or internal combustion engine, an electric motor or the like. It also serves for propelling the capstan car or tractor on the lateral auxiliary rails 13. The capstan car 20 is equipped with another set of wheels 48 for running on the main track 22. The cable 4 is not directly connected to the drum 15 but multiple pulley blocks are inserted between the drum 15 and the machine or the cable 4 in order to save tractive effort on the one hand and to pull the machine through the ballastat uniform velocity which is indispensable'for the suitable operation of the elevators or 'conveyers 7. If the velocity is not uniform theelevators or conveyers 7 are overloadedfand their operation becomesirrcgular, p p

The pulley blocks consist of a fixedblock17 and a loose block 18 each of whichmay be built up from, say, fourpulleysarranged side by side (see also Fig. "10). The loose block 18 is secured to the cable 4 and thefixed block 17 is secured to the capstan car 20.

The freeend of the cable 19. ofthe pulley blocks is connected to the drum-15 "of the I capstan. capstan car 20 is anchored on b'yreadilydetachable draw-bars 21.

' Insteadof'providing-a capstan car, tractor or locomotive:20 and attaching to it the hook 54'of the fixed block 17 by a draw-bar 55, the

the still unlifted portionof the main track 22 hook 54 may be anchored directly tothe still unlifted. portion of the main track 22, as

shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10. 56 is a cross bar which is attached tothe freeends of the rails in the track 22 by suitable means, such as angle sections 57, and58are holesin the cross bar 56 for connecting the hook 54to the cross bar. in any suitable position. In the example illustratedfthe ballast-removing and cleaning machine is supposed to run in the straight extension of the-main track 22 and the hook 54 is inserted in the central hole. If it runs in a curve the hook 54 is inserted in one of the holes at either side of the cen-. tral hole. c P

23 are-lifting-tackle units which run on the lateral auxiliary rails 13 (Figs. 4 and 5). V

Theunits may be gantry orportal cranes, or of any other suitable type.

' The dirty waste discharged laterally by the transverse conveyer 9 is deposited. on the berm or slope or-delivered to amateria'l train as shown in Figs. "6 to 9 in [which 25 are fieldrailwaytip' wagons on a field-railway track 26 on the berm at the side of the maintrack 22, and Y27 is a turn-out in the track 26. A predetermined"number of field-railway tip wagons 25are placed at the side of the machine 1, 2and the transverse conveyer 9 (or the field-railway track 26) is arranged at a corresponding level so that the material from the conveyer 9 is discharged into the fieldrailway wagons 25. 28 is an incline at the other end of the auxiliary track 26, and 29 is a stage connected to the incline. 30are trucks of ama terial train on the still unlifted portion of the main track 22 into which the wagons 25 are j l tipped after having run onto thestage 29 along the incline 28. g I

Mounted on the stage 29 isa power-driven Winch 31, Fig. 8, which-by means of a cable 32 pulls a given number offield railway tip wagons onto the stage 29;" Inorder to prevent upsetting of the stage 29 when tipping a Wagon 25 the stage maybe b'racedon the" corresponding side of the truck 30 bya strut 34' (Fig.9) I c ,By providing the turnout 27 the plant may be operated continuously. V The empty wagons 25 maybe returned to the ballast-remov ing and cleaning machine 1,2 byqa c'apstan Y (not shown) 5 at the ide of the machine: or

' by a special, power plant.

Preferably the incline28 and the stage 29' areequipped with wheels 59, Fig.8, for run-' i responding to the section of ballast to be cleaned which may be effected bythe liftingtackle units 23 running on the lateral auxiliary rails 13. The units may be so'designed as to lift complete sections ofthe track and to deliver them' 'to a materialtrain on the main track, for instance to the trucks 30 (Figs. 6 and 7). The capstan car or tractor 20 is now moved into its operating position and anchored to the heads'of' the still unlifted rails 22of the main track by securing the free ends of the draw-bars 21 to their heads. The engine or motor 16 is started and the capstan drum 15 is rotated, winding the cable 19 of the. pulley block on the drum 15 and pulling the machine 1, 2 through the ballast. The ballast is detached by the tools 3, elevated by the elevators 7 and cleaned by the sieve 8. The cleaned ballast falls off sieve 8 back onto the groundwork while the dirty waste is delivered to the field-railway wagons 25 at the side of the machine 1, 2 by the transverse conveyer 9. WVhen a given number of wagons 25 have been charged with the dirty waste they are pulled onto the stage 29 along the incline 28'by the capstan 31 and tipped into a truck 30. The empty wagons 25 are returned to the turn-out 27 and a fresh set of full wagons 25 are pulled up. If there are no more empty wagons near the machine 1, 2empty wagons are run to the machine on the turn-out 27. l/Vhena truck 30 of the material train has been charged the train is moved on for the length of one truck, placing the next truck in position at the side of the stage 29. Thetrucks 30 instead of being placed infront of the ballast-removing machine asdescribed, might be placed at the rear of the machine 1, 2 on the newly laid main track 22a (Fig. 7).

As the machine 1, 2 is pulled through the ballast, the cable 19 is wound on the capstan drum 15and the distance of'the blocks 17 and 18 from each other is gradually reduced. lVhen the blocks are so closethat they cannot be moved further toward each other the capstan car or tractor 20 must be moved forward and the main track 22 in front of the machine must be lifted and removed for a corresponding length. This is effected by the liftingtackle units-28 running on the lateral auxiliary'rails 13. The units as mentioned are able to remove complete sectionsof any desired length, for instance, 30 metres, metres or more, bylifting them,transporting them and lowering them onto material trucks. The capstan car 20 is now run on the lateral auxiliary rails 13 by means of its engine or motor as far as the end of the still unlifted main track 22, while thepulley-block cable 19 is.

unwound from the now idle capstan drum 15, and the blocks17 and 18 are'pulled apart. After the draw-bars 21 have been secured to the, end of the still unlifted portion of the main track 22 the machine 1', 2 may be pulled through the ballast for the length of another section. these'means continuous opera: tion is effected practically without, manual labour. r 1' Instead of moving the machine ,1, 2 on lateralauxiliary rails by meansof slides or wheels, the machine and .the capstan car or tractor 20 might also be moved by means of endless chain-tracks on the ballast from which the track has been liftede V I wish it to'be understood that I donot desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown anddescribed, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in theart. s.

x In the claims affixed to this specification no selection of any particular.modification of the invention is intended to the exclusion of other modifications thereof and the right to subsequently make claim to any modification not covered by these claims is expressly reserved.

I claim V 1. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of-the track has been lifted, comprising-a ballast-re1noving and cleaning machine, and mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast.

2. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine,vand pulley blocks anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast.

3. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, portable mechanism for pulling said machine through the ballast, and means for anchoring said portable mechanism to the end of the still unliftedtrack andcleaning machine, lifting tackle for removing the track on the ballast in front of the machlne, and mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast.

6. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast. from which a portion of thetrack has been lifted, comprising a b allastremoving.

and cleaning machine, an auxiliary track for 7 said machine torun on, lifting tackle adapted to run on said auxiliary track for removing the track on the ballast in front of the machine, and mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said ma chi'ne through the ballast. 1 .7. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the trackhas been'lifted, comprising a ballast removing and cleaning machine, an auxiliary track for said machine to run on, members for supporting said machine on said auxiliary track, means for varying the vertical position of said members with respect to said machine, and mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine throughthe ballast. 8. A plant for removing and cleaningballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, an auxiliary track for said machine to run on, members for support ing said machine on said auxiliary track, a winch for varying the vertical position of said members with respect to said machine, and mechanism anchored to the'still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast.

9. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a. ballast-removing and cleaning machine, an auxiliary track for said machine to run on, members for supporting said machine on said auxiliary track, means including a rack-and-pinion mechanism for varying the vertical position of said members with respect to said machine, and mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast.

10. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been. lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast, a roller on said machine adapted to support a portion of its weight and to bear on the ground work below the ballast, and means for varyingthe with respect vertical position of said roller to said machine. 11. Aplant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, mechanism anchored to the still unliftcd track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast, a cable operatively connected to said mechanism, a'

sheave on said machine adapted to be engaged by said cable, and means for displacing said sheave transversely to said machine.

12. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast, a cable operatively connected to said mechanism, a

machine through the-ballast.

16. A plant for removing and cleaning 7 been lifted, comprising aballast-remo'ving and cleaning machine, an auxiliary track for said machine to run on, a car adapted to run on saidauxiliary track, means for anchoring saidcar. to the still unl'ifted track portion, and mechanism on said car'for pulling said machine through the ballast. I '14. A plant for" removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of thc'trac'k has been lifted,- comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, an auxiliary'traclcfor said machine to run on, a car adapted to run on saidauxiliary track, means for anchoring said car to'the stillnnlift'ed track portion, mechanism on said car for pulling saidmachine through the ballast, and pulley blocks inserted between said mechanism and said machine.

15. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, means on said machine for discharging the dirty waste separated from the cleaned ballast at one side of the machine, and mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, means on said machine for discharging the dirty waste sepa rated from the cleaned ballast at one side of the machine,mechanism-anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast, and a track at one side of the line for wagons to run on, which receive the dirty waste from said discharging means.

lifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast, a track at one side of the line for wagons to run on, which receive the dirty waste from said discharging means,and a stage with an incline for elevating said wagons.

18.'A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing r .110 17. A plant for removing and cleaning and cleaning machine, means on said machine for discharging the dirty Waste separated from the cleaned ballast at one side of the machine, mechanism anchored to the still un:

lifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast, a track at one side of the line for Wagons to run on, which receive the dirty Waste from said discharging means, and a stage with an incline adapted to run on said side track for elevating said agons.

19. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, means on said machine for discharging the dirty Waste separated from the cleaned ballast at one side of the machine, mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast, a track atone side of the line for Wagons to run on, which receive the dirty Waste from said discharging means, a stage With an incline adapted to run on said side track for elevating said Wagons, anda capstan on said stage for mov ing said Wagons in opposite directions.

20. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from Which a portion of the track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, means on said machine for discharging the dirty waste separated from the cleaned ballast at one side of the machine, mechanism anchored to the still unlifted track portion for pulling said machine through the ballast, a track at one side of the line for Wagons to run on, which receive the dirty Waste from said discharging means, and a turn-out in said side track.

21. A plant for removing and cleaning ballast from which a portion of they track has been lifted, comprising a ballast-removing and cleaning machine, an auxiliary track for said machine to run on, a car adapted to run on said auxiliary track, Wheels on said car for running on the still unlifted portion of the main track, means for anchorlng said car to the still unlifted track portion, and

mechanism on said car for pulling said machine through the ballast.- 1

OTTO NEDDERMEYER. 

